CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.8

ELA5th GradeIntegration of Knowledge and Ideas

The Standard

Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Reading Standards for Informational Text

Teacher's field guide

What This Standard Means

What Students Need to Do: Students identify the points an author makes in an informational text. They connect each point to the reasons and evidence used to support it, then explain those links.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students can name a specific point the author makes. They can cite a matching reason or piece of evidence and clearly explain the connection.
Common Misconceptions: Students may label any fact as evidence, even when it does not support the selected point. They may confuse an author’s point with a reason or match evidence to the nearest paragraph instead of checking its meaning.
How to Assess It: Give students a short article and ask: “Name one point, list one supporting reason or detail, and explain how it supports that point.”

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

Cut apart point, reason, and evidence cards from an article, then have pairs sort and connect them with string.
Ask students to write: “Which detail best supports the author’s point, and why is it stronger than another detail?”
Play an evidence match relay where teams place detail cards under the correct author point and defend each choice.
Examine a product advertisement and identify its main point, supporting reasons, evidence, and any claims that lack support.

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